The basic idea is to put a permanent eye splice somewhere along the length of a three strand rope or more than one. The two purposes I was given were a permanent sort of truckers hitch or all rope block and tackle and a series of eyes along the length that can be used for climbing, hanging items etc.
Got this from the bo’s’n on a ship I crewed (merchant marine).
The idea is to grasp the three strand with both hands and untwist the lay. You want a strong set of hands for this especially with new manila line. This causes each of the three strands to stand out at 90 degrees from the line about 120 degrees between each. They will twist up on their own individual bights as the main line is unlayed round and round. When there is enough length to each of the three unlayed strands they are woven back into the main line standard eye splice style leaving an eye or loop of the needed size. OK not the greatest description I know. What you end up with is apermanent version of an Artillery Hitch.
Along with a Samoan Bowline it’s one of the few ‘new’ knots I’ve had occasion to learn learn that I could not find in any of the reference books.
Happily while researching the subject I stumbled across the IGKT site and immediately joined. This is my first post. I’ll be off next week Wednesday on a tanker job bringing you the summers high price fuel (for those that live in the USA anyway, through August. Occasionally I’ll be able to access the site.
Hi Michael,
This splice is well documented - KNOTS SPLICES AND FANCY WORK by Chas. L. Spencer, first published in 1934 is but one publication and is still one of the most favoured books on knotwork.
Clifford Ashley in THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS says “This splice is valueless except as a trick, being ruinous to the rope”
Neither book gives it a name!
Bon Voyage
Check Amazon.com. They have a lot of good books on knotting. A favorite of mine is Hervey Garrett Smith “Marline Spike Sailor”.
Also your might find Brion Toss “Riggers Apprentice” of interest - has description of how to do trucker’s hitch and many other interesting things on knots and rope work.
I’ve tried the mid line splice and for some decorative purposes it might be OK but I would not trust it under load. An Alpine butterfly is probably a better idea - you can buy carabiners which have a pulley wheel built in at the bottom which would save wear on your rope when using a trucker’s hitch and are easily removed for re-use - or for about ?2 in the UK plastic pulley wheels (for climbers use in hauling kit etc - not for use in actual climbing) with a load max of about 200lbs which can threaded onto a Butterfly as it’s made and dramatically reduce friction as well as wear.
I should introduce myself a bit more clearly. Alpine Butterfly is known on the ship as a Bo’s’ns Knot. But of course on ship I call it a butterfly knot ;D Brian Toss’s shop is a few blocks away from my west coast house, a Westerly Berwick 31 double headsail sloop. Besides Scouting, Vocational-Agriculture, and living on a sailboat when up in Washington State (I’m in Florida at present) I hold an Able Seaman (Unlimited) Z-Card and a 100 ton Masters.
On the ship the Bo’s’n and I are constantly trading knots, splices, and such for ourselves and to pass down the lore to the youngsters.
So I’m always looking for something new to spring on him, the Bosun, or teach or just to improve my own skills. That particular splice though had me stumped trying to look it up.
Both of us can do wire but it’s not done on the ship’s anymore. New rules from OSHA say they have to be professionally done in a ‘rigging’ shop. They also frown on Swiss Seats and I think the Chief Mate had a cow when I went off the bridge wing ‘en rappel.’
So…if anyone has any suggestions on something new to learn or spring on him please pass it on. I’m off to the ship next Wed. 22nd but will be in internet range about once a month or so.
Thanks for this excellent site. I’ve mentioned it to some of our sailing group as a ‘must see.’
Hi Michael,
Wish I lived that close to Brion - but not only the USA but the North Atlantic separate us! I did meet him in 1990 when he was over here.
OK - Two things for you to consider for your next trip:
Practical Knots - There are over 80 different “Bowlines” (Taken to be one or more fixed loops in a line) - how many can you come up with between you and the rest of the crew.
or
Decorative Knots - something to while the time away and maybe challenge your tallent - take a look at www.knottool.com and either go for the Globe knot cookbook or the Turks Head one - If you are not too far from Orange City FL you could give Don a call any maybe get one before you sail.
Rather than the too-clever-by-half contortion of the rope to form a dubious
structure, just cut off pieces as you need (or, maybe better yet, use another
rope of slightly smaller diameter (an eye brings two strand into play, afterall),
and just eye-splice each end of that rope into the main one where you want it.
The mid-line eye splice I suspect is old sailor gimmickery made for show’n’tell
(like that Jury Mast Knot).
One cannot but help admire ingenuity, even when it appears to a jaundiced or practised eye at first to be silly. Graumont & Hensel name what you are describing as an eye splice in the middle of the line as an “Eye Splice on the Bight” (Fig 98A & B, Plate 92, page 184). They make no mention as to its source or to its usefulness, nor do they comment that it is ruinous to the line, they simply name it - and that was what you wanted, wasn’t it? ;D
If you’re looking for the unusual how about the Beer Knot? The only bend I know which cannot be tied in rope or cord (only in tubular tape used by climbers). You can find it at http://www.trailspace.com/forums/climbing/topics/48826.html.
Good day Michael,
would a round turn Seized where they lay alongside each other suffice?
With a sufficiently strong enough whipping cord seizing sufficiently long enough rope, you can end up with a pretty fair loop anywhere there’s enough material.
Hope this adds to the help.